Hiring for SMEs

Finding and hiring the right candidate can be a challenging for SMEs. Following easy steps from firstly identifying the recruitment need, creating a job specification, right through to interviewing, selection, job offer, contracts and onboarding, can help you to find the right candidate that meets your business needs.

 In this article I am focussing on two of those initial steps, identifying the recruitment need and creating a job specification.

1.Identifying a Recruitment need

It is crucial for businesses to identify recruitment needs to ensure that they have the right people in the right roles, which contributes to the businesses overall success.

Here are some steps to help you identify recruitment needs:

• Review your current talent pool in your business in terms of skills, experience, and performance. Identify any gaps or areas where you may need more expertise.
• Understand the short-term and long-term goals of your business, and assess if your current talent pool positions you to achieve those goals.
• Consider any upcoming projects, expansion plans, or changes in the market that may require additional employees or new skills.
• Speak with your Managers to get their views on potential recruitment needs, any performance concerns, and potential opportunities for growth.
• Review performance data for current employees to identify areas where they may be challenged or where additional support is needed.
• Consider any external factors that may impact your business, such as industry trends, new technologies, or new regulations.
• Look at the option of  promoting or re-training existing employees to fill any gaps, as there may be opportunities to develop your current employees.
• Develop a recruitment strategy, including timelines, budgets, and the specific roles and qualifications required.

By proactively identifying recruitment needs, businesses can ensure that they are well-equipped to meet their objectives, maintain a competitive edge, and foster a positive workplace environment.

2. Creating a Job Specification

When the recruitment need has been identified and confirmed, it is important to create a job specification for the role. A job specification is a detailed document that outlines the key requirements, qualifications and responsibilities for a specific position within your business.

Here are the steps to create a job specification:

• Job Title: Choose a clear job title that accurately represents the role and is easily understood by potential candidates and in the external market.
• Job Purpose: Provide a brief overview of the job’s main purpose, highlighting how it contributes to the businesses overall objectives and goals
• Key Responsibilities: List the primary duties and responsibilities of the role, in order of importance. Be specific and describe the tasks that the candidate will be expected to perform.
• Reporting Structure: Clearly outline the reporting hierarchy for the position, including the role that they will report to and any employees or team that the candidate will be responsible for managing.
• Qualifications and Experience: Specify the minimum education, certifications, and professional experience required for the role. Include any desirable qualifications that would give a candidate a competitive edge.
• Skills and Competencies: Identify the key skills and competencies that the candidate should possess, such as technical abilities, communication skills, problem-solving skills, and leadership skills.
• Work Conditions: Describe the work office and any specific conditions the candidate should be aware of, such as travel requirements.
• Performance Expectations: Outline the key performance indicators (KPIs) or objectives that the candidate will be expected to achieve in the role.
• Equal Opportunity Statement: Include a statement that your business is an equal opportunity employer and committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Once the job specification is complete, it should be reviewed by relevant stakeholders, such as HR and the relevant Hiring Manager, to ensure it is both an accurate and comprehensive description for the role . The job specification can then be used to create a job advertisement and guide the recruitment and selection process. By providing a clear and thorough job specification, your business can attract the right candidates and streamline the hiring process.

To learn more, please join myself and Samantha Kelly on a linkedin audio event, where I will be discussing more details and 10 Easy Steps on Hiring for SMEs. Link below to join – hope to see you there!

https://www.linkedin.com/events/10easystepsonhiringforsmes7043901653959274498/

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We all have goals we want to reach; setbacks and challenges we are trying to overcome and times when we feel stuck. Partnering with a Coach can enable you to become unstuck, setting you on a path to greater personal and professional fulfilment and achievement.

Choosing the right coach is an important decision that can greatly impact your personal or professional development.

But how do you choose a Coach that is right for you ?

Here are some tips on making that important choice:

1. Identify your goals: Before you start looking for a coach, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your goals and what you hope to achieve through coaching. This will help you find a coach who has the expertise and experience to help you achieve your goals, and ensure you get best value from the coaching sessions.
2. Do your research : Look for coaches who specialise in the area that you want to improve in. You can research potential coaches online, through referrals from friends or colleagues, or through professional associations.
3. Accredited Coach: It’s important to make sure that the coach you choose is a qualified/accredited coach. There is a lot of discussion at the moment about some in particular who offer Life Coaching services in the market, but may not be qualified/accredited to do so. Look for coaches who are qualified and accredited by professional bodies and coaching standards, which are either the EMCC (European Mentoring and Coaching Council ) or ICF (International Coaching Federation)
4. Book a consultation: Most coaches offer a free no commitment Discovery call to potential clients. This is a great opportunity to ask questions and get a sense of whether the coach is a good fit for you.
5. Coaching style: It’s important to choose a coach who you feel comfortable working with. The Coaching partnership is critical for success. Look for a coach who has a coaching style that resonates with you.
6. Cost/Fees: Make sure that the coach’s fees fit within your budget.
7. Trust your instincts: If something doesn’t feel right or you are not comfortable working with a particular coach, it’s okay to keep looking until you find the right fit for you.

By following these tips, you can find the best coach for you who can help you achieve your goals and unlock your full potential.

I am an EMCC Accredited Coach, if you are interested in booking a free no commitment Discovery call, to see if we are a good fit for your coaching needs, you can book here

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I am celebrating 6 months in business today, and I thought it would be helpful to share 6 things I’ve learned along the way.

1. Learn : Start Your Own Business programme. I would highly recommend this programme offered by your local LEO. Whether you are still development mode for starting your own business or you have already started. I have learned so much from this programme, that I have already applied to my business.
2. Networking : It is so important to start meeting other business owners and exchanging ideas and tips. We all know that running a business can be isolating. There are many different types of networks local, nationwide and global (with wifi you can attend so many virtual networking events too).
3. Take action, make it happen : There is a community of support available to you. But you need to put yourself out there in order to avail of this support.
4. Marketing : Don’t be afraid to promote yourself. No one will know who you are and what you can do unless you tell people.
5. Online Presence: I didn’t appreciate how important it is to have an online presence. It’s essential in today’s world. Although it can be daunting to learn, engaging the services of a Social Media Expert who can train and mentor you makes a huge difference. It certainly has for me.
6. Good Connections : Surround yourself with good people who are like-minded. Other business owners will understand your drive, passion and the challenges that crop up along the way. (And there will be challenges!)

Please feel free to share your own experience of things you’ve learned, since you started in business. I would like to thank you all for your support so far on this journey.

If you would like to book a call or have a chat about any HR issues you are currently experiencing, please get in touch daraoleary@sunshynecoaching.ie

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Employee Engagement should always be a top priority in Business. When employees are engaged, they are more productive, have great job satisfaction, and are more likely to stay with the company into the future.

Here are five tips to improve employee engagement:

1. Positive Work Culture & Environment: One of the key drivers of employee engagement is a positive work environment. This includes basic’s such as logistics, their actual work stations, essentially a comfortable physical work environment. Also key are the cultural and social aspects of working with people who are supportive, collaborative and having that sense of belonging to the company and a strong sense of team. Having regular social gathering opportunities like a coffee morning face to face, team-building days, company get togethers and celebrating successes together that are inclusive of everyone provide for a positive company culture. Communication is key here also, allowing for open and honest communication and a safe space to talk.
2. Learning & Development : Employees want to feel like they are growing and developing in their careers, which is of benefit to both the company and the employee. Offering relevant opportunities for training, coaching, mentoring, and career development support employees feeling valued by the company, whilst also learning, growing and developing in their career.. Encourage employees to take on new challenges, support them and provide regular feedback on their progress.
3. Recognition: Employees who feel appreciated are more likely to be engaged in their work. Regularly recognising employees for their hard work can boost morale and motivation. It could be through an “Employee of the Month” nominations process, where they have gone “above and beyond” and that achievement is being acknowledged publicly. It may also be externally nominating an employee for an industry award category. It could also be as simple as a thank you note or message, acknowledging a job well done.
4. Work-life balance: The Pandemic changed the future of how we work for a lot of companies. Hybrid working has proven to be a positive change for a lot of companies. Employees who feel they have a good work-life balance are more likely to be engaged in their work. How does your company support HR policies that reflect flexible working and people’s lives today. It may be around enhanced time off to care for loved one’s when needed, perhaps flexible working hours, or family leave policies. And I’m not just talking about statutory, does your company lend itself to do anything progressive in this area that may be niche to your company or industry.
5. Employee Participation: Employees who feel they are listened to and that their opinions are valued, are more likely to be engaged in their work. Ask for your employees feedback on improvements that can be made in the company. Get an Employee Lead working group together and work through suggestions and solutions that will make the company an even better place to work.  Employee thoughts and insights will be invaluable and will provide some ideas that may not have been considered already. Always follow this through with concrete actions for a positive outcome and for real change to occur and ensure to engage and review on a regular basis.

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